Railway car truck construction



Feb. 23, 1954 F. H. SPENNER 2,669,944

RAILWAY CAR TRUCK CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 6, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.3.

26 INVENTOR.

FREp H. SPENNER BY Feb. 23, 1954 P N ER 2,669,944

RAILWAY CAR TRUCK CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-She et 2 Filed Dec. 6, 1950INVENTOR.

H. SP 5 N N ER Patented Feb. 23, 1954 RAILWAY CAR TRUCK CONSTRUCTIONFred H. Spenner, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Scullin Steel 00., St.Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application December 6, 1950,Serial No. 199,441

The present invention relates generally to railway car truckconstructions and more particularly to a truck construction which isconcerned with improving the riding and tracking characteristicsthereof.

An important object of this invention is to provide a car truck in whichthe bolster is adapted to accommodate means for snubbing the relativemotion between the truck side frame and the bolster.

It is a further important object of the present invention to providemeans for obtaining a constant snubbing action during both compressionand rebound action in the springs which support the bolster, wherebythere is obtained'improved control over the vertical,lateral andlongitudinal motion of the bolster.

Still another object is to arrange spring actuated snubbing means incooperation with a car truck bolster so that the springs are notaffected by the weight of the snubbing means whereby the force of thesprings is substantially constant during operating conditions of the cartruck.

The invention comprehends the provision of a car truck having sideframes with bolster openings between vertical columns, and a bolstermember spring supported in the side frame opening, and formed withlaterally opening pockets within which are operatively mounted snubbingmeans of spring actuated type for cooperation with the vertical columnsin opposing bolster movement. The invention further comprehends thearrangement of the spring actuated snubbing means in the longitudinalplane of the bolster so that the springs in the snubber assembly mayoperate independently of the weight of the snubbing means or elementsthereof.

The invention also includes the arrangement of bolster pockets which areadapted to open laterally in positions adjacent side frame columnmembers on which friction wear plates are mounted so that the snubbingmeans mounted within the bolster pockets may effectively contact theside frame column members to produce the frictional snubbing actiondesired between the bolster and side frame members.

The invention further includes the herein described cooperating parts ofthe car truck side frame, the bolster member having the particulararrangement or bolster pockets and the disposition of the snubbing meanswithin the bolster pockets, together with the arrangement of snubbingmeans or defining walls of the bolster 1 Claim. (01. 105-197) pockets,as will be hereinafter more particularly described.

The advantages of the present invention may be more fully understoodfrom the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein: a

Fig. l is a longitudinal side elevational view of a railway car truckshowing the side frame and bolster assembly embodying the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view of a car truckbolstershown in position in a side frame which, in turn, is disclosed intransverse section, this view being taken at line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a greatly enlarged top plan view of a bolster end portionwhich has been partly broken away to disclose details of the bolsterpocket construction and the bolster snubbing means disposed therein. 1

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view in'elevation, showing details ofthe snubbing means along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a further fragmentary sectional'elevational view of thesnubbing means seen along line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view in section, showing in detail amodified construction of snubbing means and bolster pocket arrangementtherefor; and r Fig. 7 is a further modification of snubbing means and.bolster pocket which is contemplated within the scope of the invention,this view being a fragmentary top plan view similar to that of Fig. 6.

Referring now in detail to Figs. 1 and 2, the railway car truck includesa side frame l0 having the usual axle journal boxes II at itslongitudinal ends for mounting the usual truck wheels I2. The side frameHi comprises an upper compression member l3, a lower tension member 14and a pair of laterally spaced, vertically directed column members l5which, in part, define a bolster opening It for the side frame ID. Abolster I! has its end portion 3 suitably mounted within the side frameopening l6 so that it may be operatively supported by the group ofbolster springs l9 carried on the tension member I 4.

, Referring to Figs. 1, 3 and 5; it will be observed that each of thevertically directed column members I5 is formed intermediate its endswith an inwardly projecting portion 20 adapted to carry a friction wearplate 2| fora purpose hereinafter to be pointed out. The end portion I8of the bolster l1, insertable in the side frame opening l6 below thewear plate projections 20, is formed at its opposite sides withlaterally extending lugs 22 and 23 for embracing the column projectingportions 20 in the manner clearly disclosed in Fig. 3. It is to be notedthat the outermost laterally projecting lugs 22 extend throughout thevertical depth of the bolster end I8, whereas the innermost lugs 23 areformed at the upper and lower portions of the bolster, as may be seen inFig. 2.

The lugs 22 and 23 cooperate to permit a limited degree of lateralbolster movement relative to the side frame, however they are adapted toclear the columns l below projections 28 'upon removal of springs I9 toallow assembly of the holster. v

Upon further reference to Fig. 3, the bolster end portion I8 is suitablyformed to provide :for the formation of a pair of pockets 24, one ofwhich is shown in :full line section. A description of one such bolsterpocket will suffice, since each of the pockets is of similar (form. It.is to be noted, however that the pockets are reversely arranged becausethey are on opposite sides of the longitudinalcenter line or axis of thebolster. In the construction shown in Fig. 3. :the bolster pocket 24 isprovided with a laterally directed opening '25 located between the.endmost lug 22 and-thevertically'zspaced innermost lugs23- The pocketis further provided with a wall portion 26 which divides it trom theadjacent pocket in the opposite side'of the bolster, and with otherwall-portions 2Tand28. The wail'portionwacts as the pocket end closurewall, since it is positioned at the outermost end of the bolster. Thewall portion 21 forms the inner wall and is loca'ted-oppcsitely to thepocket opening :25. The wall 21 is :seen to he longitudinally crowned orconvexly formedto :provide a slight curvaturein the horizontal plane ofthe bolster H. The Wall is also directed at an acute angle relative tothe adjacent face of 'the side frame column :member l5, or moreparticularly at an acu-teaangle to the face plane of the wear .plate 21carried :by :this v column.

Operatively mounted within and-carried upon thezbottom wali'or-floor 29(Fig. 4) of each ofzthe bolster pockets :N there is provided snub'bin-gmeans (Fig. 3) in the form of a wedge shaped shoe element 30. This wedgeor shoe element-.30 is. provided with angularly related friction faces3-] and 32 which are adapted respectively to trictionally engage thepocket wall portion Zia-n51 the wear plate -21 carried by the sidezframecolumn member l5. In the present construction of Fig. r3, each -ortheshoe elements vJill is adapted to .be spring pressed intosurface-engagement be tween the wear plate 24 and the inner pocket wall2-! by means of the compression spring Oneend of the spring 33 ismaintainedin .operatirve position within the bolster pocket 24 .by means0f :the :seat projection 34 :carried ton the end closure wall 28. Theopposite end of the spring 33 is maintained.intcomectposition with the:friction shoe element fillby means-f athe seat projection 3541501211166.in the .shoe element .on an inner transverse wall or rib -.structure35..

By the arrangement described, .the :angiilarly disposed spring 33.serves to iorce the wedge-pr shoe elementB'B against'the wear plateZJon col uninilfi to produce the desired Ifrict'iona'l snubbing o'f the"bolster movement derived from the compression and rebound flexing ofthe lbolster =79. At the 'same time, "the spring '33 serves to force theinner face 3| of the wedge 01 shoe element 33 against the angularlydirected, longitudinally crowned pocket wall 21, thus yieldablyresisting lateral movement of the bolster I! relative to the side frameIll. The crowned form or convexity of wall 2'! permits angular movementof the holster l'i relative tothe side frame to without cramping orcompressing the wedge 38 so that it is incapable of functioning in themanner described.

Referring to the modification of Fig. 6, it can be seen that the bolsterpocket 38 is provided with an outer closure wall 39 which is normal tothe longitudinal axis of the bolster H, and that wall 49 which isarranged. opposite the lateral pocket opening Al is now constructed toprovide a fiat or planar surface 42. The wall to can be seen to bedirected at an acute angle relative to the plane of the wear plate 2!carried by side frame column i5. The friction wedge or shoe element 1.53within pocket 3a is formed with a fl surface '44 for engagement with thewear plate 2.1 and with an angularly related su fa e --45 which. in thisinstance, is slightly GDHMEX or longitudinally crowned. A compressionspringilfi is adapted to seat against the pocket-closure wall 39 at theprojection 41 and to en age with the shoe element 133 at the spring seatprojection 158 formedon an intermediate wall Orstruttfi there of. Thespring 46, in this modified arrangement, is positioned with its axissubstantially arall l to .the plane of the surface M of .the shoe.element which is in frictional enga ement with the face of the wearplate 2!. This location .of the spring #6 de elops a maximum force-.comp nent in a -directicn normal to theeurface A2 01 th pocket wallto. Therefore, the snubbing action of the wedge or shoe 43 is greatestfor movement of the ibolster H laterally of the side frame 110.

Astill furthermodification of the present invention is disclosed inconnection with Fig. 7.. In thisconstruotion, the bolster end portion1.8 is provided with laterally adjacent pockets at. each pocket Seeingtermed by an outer angularly directed wall-.5! and an innerclosure wallThe pocket is provided witha iateralopenms .5 djacent the .side iramecolumn member at which carries the friction wear plate 2|.--aspreY1-iously noted. The .-angularly directed pocket wall '51 isseen toiorm anacuteaang-le with the plane .of the wear plate 21 rand.the wall itself is provided withafiator pianarsuriace 5.4. Africtionwedge or shoeaelement 55 is operativelymounted within the pocket'55! .tohaveaflatiace or surface them of attic in frictional n agementwith the w ar plate'z I. The opposite ansula ily directed suriace 5! "ofthe shoe elementI55 is'formed with alongitudinal crownfor a purposealready described in connection with the structure shown in Fig. 3. Aspring element 58 is adapted "to have one end sea'tedon thei-nnerclosure W611 '52 of "the pocket 50 at"theseat' projectienfit. Theopposite end of thespringfit his positioned the: shoe :element 55 at theprojection 160.. arrangement pro duces a:boflstar-ssnuhbingatztion.likeihatior Rig. 3,, ibutathe location-and disposition ofwnarts has beenreversed.

.Haizing :now described ne-rtai-n preferred .co-nstructions.inaconneotion with .the nresent :invention,.it willrbem derstoodthatthesprin pressed wedge .or shoeelements cooperate withtheangularlyrelatedbolsterhocket wall and side irame column friction wearplate todampen vertical oscillationsof'the bolster supportingspr'ings, and

that .the'springgpressed wedge :or shoe elements at the opposite sidesof the bolster also cooperate to resist, in a yielding manner, bothlateral and longitudinal movement of the bolster relative to the sideframes of the car truck.

The scope of this invention is not to be limited, except as it shall beso required in accordance with the text of the appended claim:

I claim:

In a railway car truck, a side frame having a bolster opening betweenspaced vertically directed columns, a bolster having its end portionspring supported in said opening, said bolster having a pocket on eachside of its longitudinal center line and adjacent the bolster end, eachpocket opening adjacent a side frame column and 19 having a paiij ofwalls in fixed spaced relation and angularly related with the face ofthe adjacent column and'a wall forming the pocket floor, a shoe elementin each pocket having angularly related surfaces frictionally engagingone of said angular pocket walls and the adjacent column face, andspring means bearing on the other of said angular pocket walls and saidshoe to hold said shoe in engagement, said shoe being carried on saidpocket floor and said spring means being free to exert a substantiallyconstant force on said shoe.

FRED H. SPEN'NER.'

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 2,257,109 Davidson Sept. 30, 1941 2,365,198 LehrmanDec. 19, 1944 2,446,506 Barrett et al Aug. -3, 1948 2-650.550 PierceSent. 1. 1953

